Nine more accused cases left from Operation Razorback

Two British Columbia men who were involved in a major drug operation in this province have been given hefty jail terms.

Evan Brennan-Smith, 20, and Jacob Hauge, 18, were sentenced Wednesday in provincial court in St. John’s.

Brennan-Smith was handed a seven-year prison term, while Hauge got 5 1/2 years after they both pleaded guilty to charges relating to involvement in a criminal organization, money laundering and drug trafficking.

Both were given double credit for the 11 1/2 months they’ve spent in custody, leaving Brennan-Smith with 61 months left to serve and Hauge with 43 months.

In sentencing them, Judge David Orr took into consideration the fact that the jail terms were agreed upon by Crown prosecutor Andrew Brown and defence lawyers Frank Layte (for Brennan-Smith) and Ken Mahoney (for Hauge).

Hauge got a shorter sentence because he’s been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a life-shortening disease, and only turned 18 in October.

“It’s a lengthy federal sentence,” Orr said.

“It’s unusual to impose this kind of sentence for someone your age, but it’s certainly within the range.”

Operation Razorback was initiated by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, with the assistance of the RCMP B Division.

Police made the arrests in January and seized more than 672.5 grams of cocaine, a small amount of marijuana and $466,075 in cash.

Also seized were six vehicles, brass knuckles, a knife, a collapsible baton, drug-processing paraphernalia, jewelry, a money counter, a laptop computer, a stun gun, a BB rifle and a vacuum seal machine.

Of the 13 arrested, Hauge and Brennan-Smith are the third and fourth to have their cases settled.

In October, Andrew Green of B.C. was convicted of possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. He was sentenced to an additional eight months in prison after spending 9-1/2 months in custody.

Last week, Zachary Hill, also of B.C., was given a six-year prison sentence. He was credited 22 months for the 11 months he spent in custody, leaving four years and two months on his jail term to serve.

The people from this province who still have their cases before the courts are: Chris Webster, 27, Bradley Kavanagh, 21, Mary Alexandra English, 19, of St. John’s; and James W. Coady, 36, and Martin Tulk, 25, from Conception Bay South.